Not Like the Rest
by Poo2110
Summary: Rosalie shies away from men due to her past experiences. When she meets Emmett, can he show her that he's not like the others and gain her trust? Written for Oxygen.and.Cucumber's challenge. R X E All human. Please R&R !
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! This story is written for .Cucumber's challenge. So Rosalie is scarred by her past and shies away from men. One day she meets Emmett in a coffeehouse. Can Emmett show Rosalie that he's not like other men, and gain her trust?**

**I hope you all like it !! **

_**Chapter 1**_

"Another coffee for me, Brenda!" I called across the coffeehouse. It was my favorite place to be. Whether I was studying, reading a book or just wanted some time off, it was the most peaceful and relaxing. Most of the waiters and people who worked here knew me by now; I came here at least twice a day. Today I was comfortable settled in one of those squishy single sofas, and focused on my Physics textbook.

I lived in Los Angeles, and went to UCLA. My passion was cars and it was my dream to one day be on a prestigious team of mechanics. As far as I knew, the most well known association by far was the NASCAR team.

"Is this seat taken?" A deep voice asked me. I looked up from my book and saw a tall, muscular man smiling at me, and gesturing to the vacant sofa opposite to me. I looked away uncomfortably.

"Sure," I finally responded. I started to read again. He cleared his throat. I looked up again, irritated. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? "What?"

"Well," he began, "I think it's rude to have your nose in a book when someone as pleasant and interesting as me is sitting right across from you." I stared at him in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously. His eyes twinkled. "You know what? My coffee's done! I think I should go." I stuffed my book into my backpack. I stood up.

"No, no, I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Well, it's ok. But I really should be going. Goodbye," I turned around and left the coffeehouse. I drove home in my red BMW. My best friends, Alice and Bella had gifted it to me on my 20th birthday. In a way, you could say that they were like the family I never had. They meant everything to me.

"Good evening, ladies," I sang, as I skipped into the living room of our rented apartment. Alice was curled up on the sofa, reading a fashion magazine.

"Hey there, Rose. What's up?" She looked up from her magazine.

"Nothing much." I replied. "The same old thing: Some guy at the coffeehouse tried to hit on me. But I told him off. He seemed like he was joking. But I can't be sure. You never know with men." I shuddered at the thought. Disturbing memories flashed in front of my eyes. I trembled. Steadying myself, I sat on the couch next to Alice and turned on the TV.

"So where's Bella?" I asked, while flipping through the channels. There was nothing interesting on, right now. I switched it off.

"The usual," she replied. "In the kitchen, trying out a new recipe." I smiled, slightly. Cooking had been Bella's hobby. She told me that she had loved it ever since high school. She was always experimenting with new ingredients, most of which the dishes turned out to be amazingly delicious. She had a certain knack for cooking. Bella's cell phone rang. I picked it up.

"Hello?" I asked.

"This isn't Bella," an amused velvety voice said.

"Hi, Edward. What's new?" I stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

"Nothing much. How about with you? How are your classes coming along?" he asked.

"Fine, fine." I said absentmindedly. "Anyway, here's Bella. Bye, Edward." I handed the phone to her and went back to the living room. I sat down next to Alice again and sighed.

"What's on your mind, Rose?" Alice asked, closing her magazine.

"Well," I hesitated. Alice smiled encouragingly. "It's just that I feel like a fifth wheel." I said in a rush.

"Is that it?" Alice's forehead creased in confusion. "I didn't know you wanted to meet new people. I've offered a fair few times to set you up with some of my friends, but you-" I shook my head.

"No, Alice, you don't understand. I don't want to meet new guys. I just feel like… like I'm losing you and Bella." I confessed. I buried my head in my hands. Alice laughed.

"Are you serious? You'll never lose me and Bella! How can you even think something like that?" She hugged me. I hugged her back and wiped away a tear that rolled down my cheek. She didn't need to see that. She pulled away and looked at me. "But now I want to tell you something serious. You will need to find someone who you can be with forever. Someone who can love you for who you are." I looked away.

"I'm not ready for that, Alice."

"But still, consider-" She tried.

"Why don't you understand?" I said, my voice rising. "I can't… I won't…" I stormed to my room and closed the door and locked it. I collapsed on my bed and started crying. Why did I keep doing this? I was completely messed up. Alice was only trying to help. I closed my eyes, not realizing how exhausted I was. I fell asleep within minutes.

**

The next morning, I woke up with a start. I let out a deep breath of relief. _It was just a nightmare_, I told myself. I quickly got ready because I was getting late for college. I took a quick shower and got dressed. Alice and Bella must have already left. They always left earlier than me. I unlocked my door and stepped out into the passage. I walked slowly towards the kitchen. On the counter, I saw a basket with a yellow ribbon and a small note attached to the handle. I took it off, and opened it.

_Sorry._

_See you tonight._

_Love, _

_Alice_

I smiled. Alice always had the sweetest ways of apologizing. I ate the breakfast which undoubtedly had been made by Bella. Pulling on my jacket, I hurried out the door and into my car. Within minutes, I reached the college campus. It was beautiful, large and green. I found a place to park my car. Everyone envied my car. As I stepped out, I could feel the dozens of pairs of eyes on me. I wasn't vain, but I knew that I was beautiful. Men all around me were captivated by my beauty. I found it slightly strange, since I felt uncomfortable around men. It was something I didn't like to think about, but the way they kept looking at me, kept it fresh in my mind. I sighed and cleared my head of all those thoughts. I walked quickly towards my first class.

"Ow," I gasped as a tall man collided with me. My folder dropped out of my hand and all my papers flew in every direction.

"I'm so sorry." The man apologized. My head jerked up at the sound of his voice. It was familiar. It was the man from the coffeehouse yesterday. I knew he could see the recognition flash across my face.

"It's ok," I mumbled and bent down to pick the papers up. He bent down, too and picked up the papers, one by one. I reached down to pick up one of the pink ones. His hand touched mine, and I pulled it back with a jerk. I stared at him in surprise. It was not because he touched me. That was something I avoided; contact with men. It was as if something in my heart had stirred when he touched me.

"I'm so sorry," He repeated. I looked around, anywhere but at him. I got all of them, and not bothering to organize them, I gave him one last look and walked away.

I knew that he was probably confused as to why I left so abruptly. I had reasoned with my heart a long time ago, and knew that I could never let down my walls. Never.

**That was just the first chapter. Since the minimum word limit is 10,000 words, I'll obviously be writing more. So keep an eye out for my updated chapters !! 'Kay, reviews please?? Just press the little button and leave a short message telling me whether you liked it or not !!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey !! Here's the next chapter. Hope you guys like it !!!!!**

Chapter 2

RPOV

I stepped into the classroom, just as the bell rang. I sat down in my place, which was somewhat near the classroom, when I saw the man with curly hair walk in. What was he doing here? I saw him look around the classroom and finally rest his eyes on me. He smiled hugely and waved.

"Hey!" He called out. I grimaced slightly.

"Good morning, everyone," My mechanics teacher, Mr. Lindeman said, hastily walking into the classroom. "We have a lot to cover today, but before we start, I would like all of you to meet our new student, Emmett McCarty." Emmett smiled around at everyone. "Emmett, why don't you sit in that empty seat next to Ms Hale?" I felt my eyes widen in disbelief as Mr Lindeman suggested that Emmett sit next to me. I concentrated on the blackboard, but from the corner of my eye, I could see Emmett glance at me occasionally. I was impatiently waiting for the class to finish, so that I could escape from this silent torture. At last, the bell rang, and I stood up, about to leave someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Fancy meeting you here, Ms Hale," Emmett held out his hand. I thought about it for a second. Hesitatingly, I shook his hand.

"It's Rosalie," I corrected.

"I really am sorry, though. I didn't mean to offend you yesterday at the coffeehouse or bump into you this morning." He apologized.

"It's alright. Mistakes happen to everybody." I said, wincing at the irony of my words, thinking that mistakes happened more to some than others. His brow wrinkled in confusion, but didn't ask me to elaborate, for which I was thankful.

"So… I'll see you later, I guess," I waved my hand awkwardly.

"Yeah," he muttered. I started to walk away from him when he suddenly called out my name. "Listen," he came up to me. "Would you like to do something today?" I stared at him, shocked, and ready to reject his invitation when he hastily added, "Bring your friends, and I'll bring mine. So, how about it?" Emmett looked expectantly at me. I bit my lip and wondered what Bella and Alice would have to say about this; Alice would tell me to say yes, and I was pretty sure that Bella would, too.

"Fine," I agreed. "As long as your friends aren't too rude or rowdy, I guess it'll be ok." He cracked a small smile.

"Don't worry about that," he assured me. "Both of them already have girlfriends. So, that's taken care of. Well, here's my phone number. Just call me at around 6 and I'll give you directions to my place." He handed me a small piece of paper with a cell number scribbled on it, which I put into my purse. I said goodbye to him and walked slowly outside the main building and onto the grassy lawn. What had I gotten myself into?

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, with me worrying about tonight, and wondering what Alice's and Bella's reactions would be. I drove home, slower than usual, thinking of the best way to tell them. It wasn't that they would be angry; on the contrary, they would be pleased that I was finally opening up. They were both home by the time I got there, and flipping mindlessly through the channels on TV.

"Hey guys," I started nervously. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Bella replied.

"Ditto," Alice said.

"Well, what do you guys say about going out tonight?" I tried to make my expression happy and cheerful, so that they wouldn't see how terrified I was.

"Sure," Alice's face lit up when I said the words 'go out tonight'. "Where are we going?"

"Well, you guys remember the guy who I met at the coffeehouse last night, right?" I took their raised eyebrows as an indication that they did remember. "Well, it turns out he's new in my class, and he invited all of us to his house tonight."

"But he doesn't even know us." Bella pointed out.

"Well, he said that his friends would be there, too. And they've already got girlfriends, so you don't need to worry about them hitting on you." I looked at both of them.

"Are you kidding?" Alice jumped up and hugged me tightly. "I'm so happy, Rose, that you're finally meeting new people!! Well, let's get ready, then." We all went to our rooms and changed, putting on something fancy, yet casual. I nervously straightened the white shirt I was wearing, and applied some eyeliner. Once I was finished, I waited in the living room for Alice and Bella, and saw that they, too, were dressed as casually as I was.

"So, where does this guy live?" Bella asked as we got into Alice's car.

"Well, he told me to call him, and he'll tell me directions." I pulled out the scrap of paper that Emmett had given me earlier, and dialled the number on my cell phone. It rang twice before someone picked up.

"Hello?" I recognised Emmett's voice on the other end.

"Hi, this is Rosalie. I just wanted to know how to get to your house. Could you please give me directions?" With Emmett's precise guidance, and Alice at the wheel, we found his house with not much difficulty. My nervousness was building up, and I felt like I would explode at any minute.

"Calm down, Rose," Alice said, sensing my tension. "It'll be fine. We're here for you."

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car and into the chilly air of a typical September evening in Los Angeles.

We walked up the stone pathway to the door and rang the doorbell. The door was opened by Emmett, who was wearing a black t-shirt and holding a packet of chips.

"Hey, girls," hey greeted. "Hey Rosalie." He said to me.

"Hi," I replied shyly. "These are my best friends, Alice and Bella." Emmett introduced himself to both of them, and welcomed us into his house.

"Alice?"

"Bella?"

I spun around at the familiarity of the two voices.

"Edward? Jasper? What are you two doing here?" I stared in disbelief.

"You already know them?" Emmett asked, looking between us and the guys.

"Yeah, of course. Edward is Bella's boyfriend and Jasper is Alice's boyfriend." I pointed out.

"Well, since we all already know each other, why don't we go sit down?" Emmett suggested, gesturing towards the living room of the small apartment. "I thought that we would have to go through all introductions and stuff, but it's good that we don't." We all shuffled towards the living room and made ourselves comfortable on the sofas. Jasper, Emmett and Edward sat on the larger couch, Bella made herself comfortable on the single seater, and Alice I pulled up chairs from the small dining table.

"So…?" Emmett trailed off, looking around at everyone, searching for an ice-breaker.

"Well, why don't you start off with telling us how the three of you met? I didn't know you had a friend named Emmett," Alice pouted. 'We tell you guys everything, but apparently you don't."

"Don't be upset, Ali," Jasper said soothingly. "We only met Emmett last week at university. I mean, we thought he was new – and he was- so we thought we would introduce ourselves. So you know, we just started hanging out. And now he's a good friend. Can you believe it? Just in a week's time."

"Hmm…" Alice narrowed her eyes at him. "Then why is this the first time we're meeting him?"

"Just didn't get around to it, that's all." Jasper smiled at her, trying to pacify her.

'OF, fine," Alice finally surrendered. Edward came to the rescue and started a conversation about movies and songs, which led to discussion on other topics. Later on, Alice was talking quietly to Jasper and Bella to Edward, which left Emmett and me in an awkward silence.

"It was really nice of you to invite all of us here tonight," I told him sincerely. I wasn't lying; this had been a lot of fun, and would surely be a night to remember. Emmett seemed genuinely friendly, not like the shallow men that tried to befriend me.

"I actually wanted to spend some time with you… these other people," he gestured to the others, "were merely an excuse to meet you."

"Umm…" I was at a loss of words.

"Why do you do that?" Emmett asked me, his face serious. I stared at him, wondering what he was talking about.

"What?" I lifted my hand to my hair, unconsciously; it was something I did when I was nervous.

"When I finally think that I can talk to you, you distance yourself. It's as if…" Emmett tried to find the right words, "As if there's a wall around you, keeping everyone out." I stiffened. This was why I didn't interact with anyone except Alice and Bella. He caught the change in my expression and posture. "I just want to get to know you," He tentatively placed his hand on mine. I pulled my hand away.

"Alice, Bella, let's go," I stood up and slung my purse on my shoulder. Emmett just looked down at his hands. I felt guilty for a minute, but then decided it was for the best. Alice was about to say something, but Bella seeing my expression, stepped on Alice's foot.

"Oh, ok," She agreed. "Good night, Jazz." I took one last look at Emmett who was sitting on the sofa, not looking at any of us. Sighing, I put my jacket on, and opened the door.

"Good night. Thank you for inviting us," I said politely. I stepped out into the chilly air, and got into Alice's car. Alice and Bella, after saying bye to Jasper and Edward, got into the car, too.

"Care to explain?" Bella turned and looked at me, awaiting an explanation.

"I just… I got scared." I confessed.

"Of what?"

"I got scared that I was going to start digging another pit, and fall in again."

**Please review. It would be really appreciated if you guys tell me if you like my story or not. REVIEW !!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys !! Here's the next chapter.. I hope you like it. Just to let you know, I'm over 4,000 words now. I'm going to make this story my first priority since there is a deadline. Of course I'll be working on my other stories, but less often, until I finish this one. Enjoy:**

Chapter 3

The next day, I was dreading Mechanics class, since Emmett would be there. When he entered the classroom, I held my breath in anticipation of some kind of acknowledgement of last night. To my surprise and relief, he acted as though nothing happened. He sat next to me, and turned to face me.

"Good morning, Rosalie," He said politely.

"Emmett, listen-" I started. He held up his hand to stop me.

"Rosalie, I don't know what's wrong, but I do know that I will wait until you're ready. I'll always be there if you need a friend. Please remember that." He told me, looking into my eyes. I was about to reply to that, when Mr. Lindeman came into the class. I slid into my seat, and smiled to myself. I was glad that Emmett wasn't trying to force me into anything, and that he was letting me take my time. I was waiting for the bell to ring, so that I could thank Emmett, but when it did ring, he slid swiftly out of his seat and hurried out the door. _Ok_, I thought.

"Listen up students," said a voice through the loudspeaker, as I was leaving the classroom. "Due to a change in schedule, all students will have the subject that they had first period in the second period also. Please note the change in the schedule. The remaining classes will follow the usual timetable. Thank you for your attention." I groaned and rolled my eyes. Turning around, I went straight back to my seat and collapsed into it. _Just great_, I thought, watching everyone else come in noisily and occupy their places.

"Well, it seems like we're back here again," joked Emmett, dragging his chair into place.

"Yup," I agreed. "I wonder why they changed the schedule. I was looking forward to math class."

"I know, I was looking forward to English class. OK, let me tell you a joke." He said brightly. "I just heard it today, and you might like it. So here goes. What does a fish say when it runs into a wall?" HE looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.

"Umm, ouch?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Come on, don't be such a spoilsport!" Emmett whined. I held up my hands.

"OK, ok. I don't know, I bet you're dying to tell me." I said, watching his expression. It lit up like a thousand watt bulb.

"DAMN!" He exclaimed. I stared at him, waiting for the punch line.

"So, what's the answer?"

"That's the answer! I mean, you know dams and all that… Get it?" he smiled at me. I just rolled my eyes.

"It was funny and you know it," Emmett said. I raised my eyebrows at him, but finally cracked a smile.

"OK, it was stupidly funny," I agreed. "Who invented such a dumb joke?"

"Who knows?" Emmett said. Mr. Lindeman, carrying a stack of books, shuffled into the room.

"Good morning, everyone. Looks like we're all back together again. So I think I can finish off this topic now, and then we can practice all these problems, ok?" He spent most of the class discussing the chapter, which left little time to practice the problems. "Since we've run short of time here, I think I'm going to make groups of three. Please try to solve all of these on your own, and if you have doubts, come to me, and I will clarify them." He announced, and then walked around the classroom, and put people into groups. My group consisted of me, Emmett and another boy Kyle, who was tall, lean and had brown hair. After the bell rang, Kyle tore a small piece of paper out of his notebook and scribbled something on it.

"Here's my number," He said. "If you guys plan a time to meet up to work on this, call me up, ok? I gotta run, but I'll catch you later." He almost ran out of the room.

"Looks like he's in a hurry," I commented.

"Even I need to be somewhere, so I'll talk to you later." Emmett told me. He put his notebook in his bag, zipped it up and slung it on his back. I took in a deep breath.

"Bye," I said. As I watched him leave the room, I smiled to myself, and shook my head. If I didn't like him when I first met him, I sure was starting to find him interesting now. My cell phone rang, startling me. I looked at the caller ID and pressed the answer button.

"Hey Alice, what's up?"

"What's up is that we were all supposed to have lunch together today. Did you forget?" She exclaimed. I inhaled sharply.

"Oh my god, I'll be right there." I disconnected the call, and hurriedly stuffed my binder into my backpack. I half-ran to my car, and started the engine in a hurry. I was almost out of the parking lot, when I heard a loud popping sound. The front left side of my car sank down, and the car jerked forward to a stop. I threw my hands up in frustration and groaned. I dug my phone out of my purse and dialed Bella's number; I know Alice would go ballistic if I told her that I would be late.

"Hey Bella, it's me," I breathed when she answered the phone.

"Hey, what's up? Where are you?"

"I have a flat tire. Would you mind stalling until I get there?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure, but get here as quick as you can." She promised. I stepped out of the car, and bent down to examine the tire. Yup, it was a flat tire. Great, now what would I do? I heard a car with loud music playing pull up next to me.

"Need some help?" I recognized the voice and stood up. And ended up losing my balance. I grasped the side of my car for support and saw Emmett in a large truck, music blasting from the speakers.

"I would really appreciate a lift right now. I'm late for a lunch date." I said in a rush. Emmett raised his eyebrows at the word date. "With Alice and Bella," I added hastily.

He leaned over and opened the door for me. "Get in, I'll drop you off. Where's the restaurant?" I gave him directions to the restaurant, which happened to be Bella's favorite. We took turns choosing a restaurant to eat out at every two or three weeks and this week was Bella's turn, so she naturally picked her favorite. We soon reached there and as I climbed out, I paused. Turning around, I leaned in through the window.

"Emmett?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to join us for lunch?" I asked timidly. He grinned.

"My pleasure. But is it ok with Alice and Bella?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry about them. They like you already."

"And you?" He asked with a sly smile. I looked down at my feet. "Fine, it's ok. Don't answer that." He hopped out of the pick-up and walked around it, towards me. He noticed that I was still standing in the same spot, not having moved an inch. "Coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute," I replied. He shrugged his shoulders and walked into the restaurant, leaving me alone on the sidewalk. I watched as a girl and a boy walked together along the sidewalk, hand in hand. And another couple sat on a bench, the boy's arm around the girl's shoulder. My eyes filled with tears as I watched reality. Would I ever have it? _OK, focus now. Alice, Bella and Emmett are waiting inside for you, _I reminded myself. I walked briskly into the restaurant and found them immediately. It wasn't hard to miss Emmett, with him being so big.

"Hey guys," I said cheerfully, and sat down across from Bella. "Sorry we were late. I got a flat tire."

"It's ok," Alice assured. "Anyway, we were just talking about random stuff." I nodded my head. Suddenly, Emmett's phone rang, causing all of us to jump. When I heard the ringtone, I started laughing.

"Are you serious? Barbie Girl?" I gasped, through my laughter. Emmett threw me a dirty look, and answered his phone.

"Hey, Chels," He said happily into the phone. "I'm just having lunch with a few friends. Oh! I completely forgot. I'll be there as soon as I can. Love you. Bye." He snapped his phone shut. I felt a hint of irritation. Who was Chelsea? "I have to go. I promised my little sister that I would take her out today. She's the one who wanted me to have this ring tone." His little sister? I smiled a little.

"Bye," I said. Alice and Bella told him bye, too and he walked off. As he was about to step out of the restaurant, he paused and turned back, catching me watching him. He smiled and waved at me. I waved back at him, and turned back to my conversation with Alice and Bella.

"So," Alice said casually, twirling her fork around. "Emmett gave you a lift? I thought you were avoiding him."

"Well," I had to phrase this carefully otherwise they would get the wrong idea. "I accept that he's nice and all that. And anyway, he's my class mate, he's allowed to offer me a lift. I told you I had a flat tire."

"Do you like him?" Bella asked curiously.

"He's a classmate," I stated with a finality that ended the topic where it was. Nobody touched this topic again throughout the duration of lunch, and I was glad for it. I wasn't ready to talk about it. Yes, it was true that I was starting to like him; but it was only as a friend, and nothing more. After lunch, we headed back towards our respective destinations. Alice and Bella studied at a different college than I did; they both went to California State University. My classes went relatively well for the rest of the day, and as the day came to a close, I realized that my car still had a flat tire. Just before the bell rang, one of the peons who worked in the office knocked on the door.

"Is there a Ms Rosalie Hale here?" He squeaked. I raised my hand tentatively. He handed me an bulky envelope, and wishing me a good day, went back to the office. I opened the envelope slowly, and found a white piece of paper and my keys. The note said:

_Rosalie,_

_You don't need to thank me. Just making sure you get home safely._

_Emmett_

Emmett got my car repaired! I didn't remember giving him my key, but then again he was always full of surprises. I was a hurry to get to the parking, more than usual, to see if my car was really there. Sure enough, it was parked where it had been in the morning. I laughed, and spun around. What was this new feeling that was consuming me?

EmPOV

After I got the mechanic from the garage to change Rosalie's wheel, I drove it to the parking lot. I handed over the key along with the short note I had written to the peon in the office, and requested him to give it to Rosalie. I was sure that she would be surprised that I had her key. When I had left the restaurant that afternoon, I noticed a key on the sidewalk, which had a key chain with her name engraved on it. At that time, I had kept it for safe keeping. I watched from the shade of the corridor as Rosalie half-ran to the parking lot. I was looking forward to her reaction. Though I was so far away, I could see the smile that illuminated her face. She spun around laughing. I automatically smiled, seeing that she was so happy. It was definitely worth the effort.

**Please review! I didn't get enough reviews from you guys for the previous chapter !**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys !!! Sorry I took so long to update ! I was really busy with some family stuff and I'm on vacation so I'm shuffling back and forth between both my grandparents' houses. So hope you like this next chapter:**

When I got home, Alice was sitting at the dining table, going through some files from her office. I said hi and started to walk to my room, when she called me back.

"Hey, Rose, come here for a minute, would you?" She called. I walked back to the kitchen, and sat on the chair next to her.

"Sure, Alice, what's up?" I crossed my arms on the table and looked at her.

"Well, I know that you were really uncertain last night at Emmett's place, but I want you to know that I think Emmett is a good person. He may joke a lot and seem carefree, but he's pure at heart. Just remember that. And… you might not like me saying this, but… I think you should give him a chance." She looked me in the eye, and I could tell from her tone, that she was serious. I smiled slightly, and patted her arm. I went to my room to take a shower and settle down for the night.

That night after dinner, I snuggled up in my bed, and lay back, thinking about my life. Where was I? Where did I want to be right now? Maybe I was holding myself back, refraining myself from enjoying my life, and not caring about the things that really mattered. Taking a decision, I picked up my phone from the bedside table, and flipped it open. I scrolled down my contact list until I found the name that I was searching for: Emmett McCarty. I pressed and the Talk button and held up the phone to my ear. It rang once, twice, thrice.

"Hello?" Emmett replied in his deep voice.

"Hi, Emmett, it's Rosalie." My voice shook a little at first, but it grew steadier.

"Hey, Rosalie." I could hear him smile. "What's up? Is something wrong?"

"No, no," I assured him hastily. "I just wanted to say… Thank you… for you know, I mean… You fixed my car for me. So I wanted to say thanks." I said hesitantly.

"It's really no problem," He said.

"OK, well then…" I trailed off.

"Hey listen, I wanted to ask you something. Don't say no. At least not without considering it first." Emmett sounded apprehensive. Emmett never sounded nervous; he was always sure of himself. What if…?

"Sure, go ahead," I encouraged him.

"Well, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night? Just as friends," He added hastily when I didn't reply.

"I'm sorry," I stated flatly. I couldn't. There was no point in building up high hopes only to have them shattered. I could hear Emmett's silence on the other end, and I knew that he was more than puzzled by the sudden change in my tone. "I- I think I should go. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure," Emmett's voice dropped to a whisper. I felt terrible that I was the one who was making him feel so upset.

"I really am sorry, Emmett," I apologized again.

"You know what, Rose? I'm not upset that you turned me down. That's not it. I just hate the fact that you are making yourself unhappy. Why are you doing this to yourself? I've got to go now. I'll see you tomorrow." The line went dead. I shoved my phone under my pillow and collapsed onto my bed again. Emmett was right; I was shunning out the people who I cared about and I was making myself miserable. Why was I being such a masochist? Why was a letting something that happened in the past affect my present? Sure, whatever happened with Royce could have happened with anyone. I knew from experience that not all men were like that. Bella and Alice had found Edward and Jasper. They were happy now. But the problem that I had was opening up to men. I remembered how long it had taken for me to become comfortable around Jasper and Edward; for a few days, I had refused to be alone in the same room with them. I was scared that I would end up picking the wrong person again. Emmett seemed like a nice guy, but so had Royce, and it was only after I had committed to him that he showed his true colours.

I was awake for most of the night, thinking about whether I should give Emmett a chance. He was friendly, understanding, and he got along with Alice and Bella; Alice had even told me that she approved of him and she had an uncanny knack for recognizing people. If she thought that Emmett was trustworthy and reliable, then there must be something in him that made him different from everyone else. Maybe Alice was right, and I _should_ give him a chance. I was pretty disturbed, an inner conflict was raging in my mind. Finally, though undecided, I fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, groggily remembering last night's thoughts. I reached under my pillow, and found my phone just where I had left it, and pressed redial, since Emmett was the last person that I had called.

"Hello?" Emmett's voice croaked. I stifled a laugh; I had probably woken him up. Oh well.

"Hey Emmett," I sang in a cheerful voice.

"Rosalie?" I could hear the disbelief in his voice. "Why are you calling so early?"

"Well… I wanted to ask you what time you were going to pick me up tonight." I bit my lip and smiled, awaiting his reaction. I knew that he would be so shocked that he wouldn't even realise what I was saying.

"What?" Emmett asked.

"I said, what time are you going to pick me up tonight?" I enunciated every syllable, and giggled silently.

"What?" Emmett echoed. I rolled my eyes. How many times would I have to keep repeating myself until he understood?

"Didn't you understand what I asked? It was a simple enough question." I pointed out.

"I got what you were asking, but I just can't believe it. Just last night you adamantly refused me, and now…"

"Well, you're right," I admitted. "I was just going to let it go. But I thought a lot about it, and I decided that I want to give this a chance. You were right, too, that I have never opened myself up to any guys. And I don't want to watch my life pass by right in front of my eyes. I don't want to lose this time, Emmett, I don't want to regret my decisions later."

"Well, I'm glad that you finally decided to confide in me, Rose. It means a lot to me. I'll pick you up at 6:30 tonight. Bye." I whispered bye and hung up the phone. I smiled to myself. It was going to be a new start. I was surprised at the happy feeling that was bubbling through my body. I had never experienced such a feeling before. I skipped out of my room to an astonished Bella and Alice, who were talking while making breakfast.

"Good morning," I chirped.

"Who are you and what have you done with Rosalie who is a total grouch in the morning?" Alice joked. I rolled my eyes.

"Guess what?" I said.

"What?" Alice and Bella chimed.

"Emmett asked me out for tonight and I said yes," I said, suddenly feeling shy. I blushed when Bella's mouth dropped open.

"You what?" She shrieked.

"Isn't that good?" I asked, all of a sudden feeling cautious. Bella laughed.

"Of course it's good. It's great, in fact. We have been waiting for so long for you to finally open up and to a guy as understanding as Emmett… Wow, Rose." She flung her arms around me and hugged me.

"Group hug," Alice exclaimed and joined the hug. I was possessed by an unexplained euphoria for the remainder part of the day and when Mechanics class came around, I was having trouble sitting still.

"Impatient much?" Emmett asked knowingly, when he saw me in a pleasant mood. I just smiled at him. "So I'll pick you up at 6:30, alright?"

"Ok," I replied breathlessly. I didn't pay much attention that class, and it seemed like forever until the bell finally rang. I jumped out of my seat and hurried to my car, knowing that Alice and Bella would be waiting for me at home. I told Alice that she could do my makeup and outfit for me. She was exuberant as it was, but me telling her this… Well, let's just say I think my hearing might be permanently impaired. Sure enough, they were both waiting impatiently in the living room and were ready to do me up.

After a lot of poking and prodding from Alice, she claimed that she was finished and told me to take a look in the mirror. I looked at my reflection in awe; it had been a while since I had dressed up this much. Alice had made me straight hair wavy and not applied too much make-up at my request. She had just dabbed on a little pink eye shadow and some eye liner and mascara. Bella had picked out a light pink tank top and a white skirt which came down to my knees. I smiled at myself in the mirror, I looked pretty. The doorbell rang, and I looked at the clock. It was 6:29. I could count on Emmett for being on time, one minute early even.

"Go on, Rose, it'll be perfect." Bella nudged me.

"Bye, guys," I gave them both a small hug, feeling nervous. I walked to the door and opened it slowly. Emmett was standing on the welcome rug, facing away from me. When I opened the door, he turned around and smiled widely. He handed me a bunch of white roses.

"White?" I asked inquisitively. He just nodded solemnly.

"Ready to go?" Emmett asked me. I took a deep breath.

"Yeah, let's go." I pulled on my jeans jacket and closed the door behind me. We walked out to his car, which was parked in the visitor's section of the parking lot.

"Where are we going?" I asked after a few minutes.

"You'll see. It's one of my favourite restaurants." Emmett replied. Guess I wasn't going to get anymore than that, I mused.

"Ok," I agreed. I was anxious to know where we were going, but decided not to press the matter any further. I really hoped that tonight could convince me that Emmett was really a good guy. I really hoped that Alice was right, because I was wearing my heart on my sleeve tonight.

**Please review !! I hope to get the next chapter up by the end of this week.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! sorry I took so long to update. I'm in London on my summer vacation right now, so things have been pretty hectic, but I'm staying up real late to get this done. I've almost reached the required word limit and once I reach that i can relax a bit and complete my story a bit slower. Since I'm in grade 12, I'll be pretty busy and hence the less frequent updates. Don't say I didn't warn you. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy:**

"So, are you sure you aren't going to tell me where we're going tonight?" I asked Emmett again.

"Well, I suppose it's not that big of a secret, but I want you to be surprised. It's one of my favorite restaurant. Why don't you put in a CD?" He suggested. I flipped through his CD album, looking for something that I also liked.

"You like Switchfoot?" I asked in surprise, seeing a familiar CD.

"Yeah, they're really amazing," he nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. "And their lyrics are deep. They make you think, and I like that. Hey put on "This is Your Life", would you? It's one of my favorites from this CD." I inserted the CD into the player and skipped the first track, since the song that he requested was the second one.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I agreed. This song really made me think about my life, and whether what I was doing was right. "It's one of my favorite songs, too."

_Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead, yesterday is a promise that you've broken_

_Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes_

_This is your life, and today is all you've got now_

_Yeah, and today is all you'll ever have_

_Don't close your eyes, Don't close your eyes_

_This is your life, are you who you want to be_

_This is your life, are you who you want to be_

_This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be when the world was younger and you had everything to lose_

I found myself singing softly along with the song, and from the corner of my eye I saw that Emmett was, too. We listened to a few more songs before he turned into a parking lot and turned off the engine of his car. I stepped out of the car, and looked around to see if I could recognize where we were. A brightly lit sign, saying '_Casa dela Sol_' shone above us.

"Casa dela Sol?" I asked, curiously.

"It's a Mediterranean restaurant, and they have live music and salsa dancing, tattooing, face painting, caricature, and more interactive activities. I usually come here alone; you're the first person I've brought here." He confessed. I looked away, blushing. Wow, that was so sweet.

"OK," was all I could say. He led me into the restaurant, and I was immediately engulfed by the lively music, and chatter of the customers.

"Wow, it sure is loud in here!" I yelled over the commotion. Emmett just smiled knowingly at me. I followed him to an empty table for two, and sat down opposite him.

"I hope you like it. I mean, it's no fancy restaurant or anything, but it's very cozy, and-"

"Emmett," I interrupted him, and smiled. "It's perfect." He smiled so brilliantly at me, that it left me breathless. How could a guy have such an effect on me in such a short time? It was a buffet, so we served ourselves from the large variety of food which was lined up on the counters. During dinner, I didn't talk that much; mostly I was listening to whatever Emmett was saying. He often asked me for my opinion on things, and I just answered him briefly. He never seemed satisfied, but he just let it go. After we finished eating the main course, we served ourselves some dessert and settled back at our table.

"OK, Rosalie, here's the deal. I'm the one who's doing all the talking here. So, tell me about you, about your life." He strummed his fingers on the table, waiting for me to start.

"Well," I started slowly. "I was born in and grew up in New York. I did my elementary schooling there. That was when my parents were together." I winced at the memories. I glanced at Emmett. He was just looking down at his hands, listening intently. "Then, when I was in 6th grade, my mom … passed away." I couldn't bear to tell him how. "My dad and I moved to Seattle, and I started my junior high there in Seattle. I met Alice and Bella in grade 11. I had never noticed them before, especially in the 10th grade, when…. No, no, never mind," I almost choked. No, Rose, stop it. I could not let him know. I could never tell anyone. "And we've been best friends ever since." I plastered a smile on my face, but inside I felt like I was being torn apart. "What about you?"

Emmett had been born in Los Angeles, but his father, being a professor, kept being transferred from university to university, so Emmett had never lived in one place his while life. North Caroline, Minnesota, and New Jersey were a few of the places he had lived. And he said that he had always wanted to live in a place where it was always sunny, so when he was accepted into UCLA, he had grabbed the opportunity. I laughed when he told me that it was much better than living in negative zero temperature.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse and saw the caller ID.

"Excuse me," I told Emmett and moved outside the restaurant for better reception. "Hi, dad, what's up? Where are you?"

"Hi Rosie," He said. I missed his voice. He kept traveling due to work, and it seemed like I was seeing him less and less now; it felt like I was losing him, too. I felt a deep sadness blossom inside of me. "Well, I was in the city and was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner tonight."

"Actually, dad, I'm on a date." I heard silence on the other end.

"A date?" He sounded stressed. "Rosie, are you sure? I mean, after, you know…" I squeezed my eyes shut.

"It's fine, dad. He's a really nice guy. And Alice even approves of him. That means, something. You know, dad, don't you, that it takes a lot for Alice to approve of someone? I'll be fine. Please don't worry about me. Can we meet tomorrow?"

"Sure, sweetie. Just tell me the time and place, and I'll be there. I love you."

""Love you too, dad." I said sadly. I pressed the end button and stared at the sidewalk for a moment. Things would never be the same. After mom's death, dad had plunged himself into his work. I think that if he didn't have that work, he would've broken down. And it would've destroyed me to see him like that. I felt a tear roll down my face. Damn it, I seemed to cry for everything nowadays.

"Hey, Rosalie?" Emmett asked me softly from behind.

"Yeah?" I spun around, surprised by his presence. His brow wrinkled as he looked at my face. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" I felt around my mouth.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, concerned. I lifted a hand up to my cheek and sure enough, it was slightly wet.

"Oh, it's- it's nothing," I stuttered.

"Oh, actually I wasn't sure, but are you ready to leave? It's getting a bit late." He asked me uncertainly. I checked the time on my watch and realized that I had been having so much fun that time had passed by quicker than normal. It was already 11:45pm.

"Um, ok. I'm finished eating, anyway." I replied. "Do you mind if I go to the washroom before we leave? I'll just be a moment." He agreed, and I hurried to the ladies' room. I leaned on the counter and examined my reflection in the mirror. My mascara was a little smudged, but other than that, it was not clearly visible that I had cried. Then how had Emmett known? I quickly re-did my make-up and joined Emmett near his car. A red jeep screeched to a halt in the next parking space and its driver stepped out. I wouldn't have paid any attention to that car, seeing as a lot of people drove rashly like that, unless the driver hadn't spoken to me.

"Why, hello, Ms Rosalie Hale. Fancy seeing you here." I froze at the sound of his voice. It was a voice that I could recognize even in my worst nightmares. I took a deep breath and slowly turned around, my worst fears confirmed. It was him; it was the guy who caused me sleepless nights and whose presence tortured me.

"Don't tell me that you've forgotten me, already, babe. How can you not remember?" His words made me shiver in fear. A few guys jumped out of the jeep, and stood around him.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Emmett demanded angrily, seeing me so distressed. He stepped a little forward.

"Oh, who is this, Rosie? Got a new guy, have you?" He drawled.

"E-E-Emmett, this is-"

"The name's Royce. Royce King." He held out his hand for Emmett to shake, but Emmett just glared stonily at him. "This chick and I go back a long time, don't we, honey?" He lifted his hand and stroked the side of my face. I slapped away his hand with my trembling one.

"If you ever touch her again, I swear to God I will – " Emmett roared.

"You can't touch me, dude. So don't even try." He smirked at me, and then turned and left. I felt my knees give out under me and I covered my head in my hands and started to cry. How had he found me again? I thought I could leave my past behind when I left Seattle, but here it was again, right in front of my eyes. How long would it keep haunting me?

"Rosalie, what's wrong?" Emmett dropped to his knees beside me and put his hand on my shoulder. I jerked away from him automatically, and then started crying even more, because I knew that I had hurt him with this gesture.

"Can you just take me home? Please?" I choked.

"Sure," He said in a resigned voice. The car ride home was silent; no conversation, no music, nothing. When we got to my apartment, Emmett silently opened the door for me, and followed me up the stairs. Even the elevator ride was quiet. I felt just awful, and was about to apologize, but I was afraid that I would break down again. As we reached my apartment, Emmett suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Rosalie, wait. Before you leave, I want to say something to you. I know that you're hiding something from me, and I really wish that you trusted me enough to tell me. But obviously you yourself haven't come to terms with whatever's bothering you, so I don't expect you to tell me as of now. But like I told you before, I _will_ wait for you. \i hope you can trust me. And I'm sorry." I could see the pain in his eyes; this was hurting him so much. All he wanted was for me to see him as a friend who I could trust, and who could be by my side. But I was just being too stubborn. After so many years, I had finally found someone who I enjoyed spending time with, someone who made my day when I saw them. And I was just shunning him out. I knocked quietly on the door and waited for Alice or Bella to open it. When it did open, I imagined how my appearance would have looked to Bella or Alice and didn't even flinch when they gasped in concern.

"Rose, honey, what's wrong?" Bella wrapped her arms around me. "Alice, get here quick." She called inside. Alice sprinted to the door and gasped.

"Oh my god, Rose! Are you alright?" She wrapped her arms around me, too, and they both led me to the sofa. "Talk to me, Rose," Alice demanded. "Did Emmett do anything? Because I swear if he hurt you, I will not let him-"

"Alice, it's not Emmett. Emmett didn't do anything. He's been so understanding, it's just not fair to him. I'm hurting him, Alice, and it's hurting me to see him upset like this." And then I realized that though I wanted a few people who would always stand by my side, all I was doing was alienating them. "You know what, guys?" I stood up. "I will tell you everything soon. That I promise you. I can't do this anymore. Every time I see the hurt in your eyes, it's like my heart is being shred to pieces. I can't keep hurting the people who are close to me. You know what? I need to talk to Emmett now. This has got to stop." I flipped my phone open, and found Emmett number from the dialed numbers. It rang for a while before the automated voice said 'The caller currently is out of network or cannot attend to your call. Please try again later'. Damn it, where was he? I dialed it again and let it ring.

"Hello?" Emmett said in a sleepy voice.

"Emmett, it's me, Rosalie. I need to meet you right now. There's something you should know." I said, in a rushed voice. I could just picture Emmett scratching his head and looking at his watch, wondering why I was calling him this late at night asking if we could meet.

"But, Rose-" He tried to protest.

"Please don't let me down, Emmett. I'll meet you at the Golden Café in ten minutes. Please don't be late." I disconnected the call and was about to hurry out the door when I noticed that it had started raining. Ugh, did it have to rain now? Grumbling, I pulled on my raincoat, pulled the hood over my head, grabbed my car keys and headed out the door.

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